Foot exercising device



Dec. 7, 1937. F, w, LANG 2,101,503

FOOT EXERCI S ING DEVICE Original Filed July 2, 1955 2 Shets-Sheet 1 llllLLHllfl lllll ill Invenlor Federzbi L0??? -Dec. 7, 1937. F. w. LANG 0 FOOT EXERCI S ING DEV ICE Original Filed July 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ltorney Invenlor' Patented Dec. 7,1937

UNITED STATES FOOT EXERCISING DEVICE Frederick ,W. Lang, Forsyth, Ga.

Application .July 2, 1935, Serial No. 29.561 Renewed June 23, 1937 4 Claims.

My invention relates generally to means utilized in exercising the feet and legs, and an important object of the present invention is to provide means of this character which embody important improvements over the subject matter of my prior Patent No. 1,998,197 dated April 16, 1935.

Another important object of the present 'invention is to provide means of the character indicated which is eiTective to quickly and easily and conveniently strengthen and either build up or reduce the feet, ankles and legs, and eliminate and correct and prevent fallen arches and other foot and leg ailments. Another important object of my invention to provide a simple, rugged, and mechanically efficient device of the character indicated above which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost so as to be capable of wide distribution and successful commercialization.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above which may be utilized in exercising both of the feet together or one foot at a time, in either a standing or a sitting position.

the same and the results desired.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description'in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the embodiment.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the left hand end of Figure 1 approximately on the line l-4.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the inner side of one of the gear wheels.

Figure 6 is an edge elevational view of Figure 5.

Not only is the present device structurally and mechanically superior to that covered by the patent mentioned above, but the present device has a roller which is shaped differently from the patented roller and tapers toward its opposite ends from the thick middle portion. This con- 50 formation and contour of the roller enables adjusting the effect of the roller on the arches of the feet simply by shifting the feet longitudinally of the roller, an achievement impossible with the plain cylindrical roller of the patented device. 55 Persons with very flat feet and fallen arches according to the convenience of the person using would'probably find one part of the roller more comfortable in view of the special condition than some other parts in view of the added lifting effect of certain parts over other parts of the roller, so that as the feet improved in condition and the arches became raised, the feet might be applied to another part of the roller giving a greater lifting effect. The presence of the enlarged middle portion of the roller also tends to keep the feet separated and to provide for equal exercising of both feet, where the two feet of the I operator are simultaneously exercised.

The present invention also comprises means including the toothed racks and the gear wheels to'be described, for positively preventing unequal shifting and/or sliding of the roller, as the roller is worked back and forth in the act of exercising with the device, whereas no means was provided in my patented device for positively preventing such shifting and sliding of the roller as might be induced by rolling the roller back and forth with the feet in the act of exercising. Of course, the

5 generally designates the flat base which is generally rectangular in form and is elongated and. provided in its long sides with inwardly curved portions 6 and l. The absence of material at the points 6 and I tends to prevent contact of the feet while exercising with the base 5 and also permits a saving of material. Transversely spaced rubber or other suitable bumpers 8 and 9 are transversely spaced on the bottom of the base 5 at the opposite ends thereof to mount the base noiselessly on the floor or other surface on which the device is used and to prevent slipping of the device as a whole on its supporting surface.

Rising from the top of and at each end of the base 5 are the standards l0 and II which are substantially as wide as the widest parts of the base and have their tops curved as indicated by the numeral it. An ornamental and reinforcing band l3 and M, respectively, is laid over the curved upper part and along the side edges of the standards l0 and II, and secured to the side edges of the base, as clearly indicated in Figure 3, the fastening being accomplished by screws or the like l5.

The inner side of each standard has a recess It in its inner side whose upper portion conforms in shape to the outline of the top portion of the standard and is curvedly reduced as indicated at II to define the shoulders ll which act as retainers for the racks II which seat in a squared portion of the recess l8 and on the top of the base I as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Each rack I! is a generally rectangular narrow flat plate which has spaced screw holes which accommodate screws 2| and II which enter the vertical wall of the recess it and hold the rack in place. The upper edge of the rack is provided with the tapered and squared teeth 22 which extend between points which lie considerably within the ends of the rack, so as to limit the rolling of the roller to a sphere which stops short of the opposite ends of the recess i6.

Riding on each rack 22 and confined to the rolling sphere indicated are the gear wheels 23 which are similar in structure.

Each gear wheel comprises the circular disk 14 which has the peripheral squared. and uniformly and oppositely beveled teeth 25 which conform in size and pitch to the teeth of the racks. The inner side of the disk 24 is provided with an axial cylindrical boss 26 and spaced concentrically and outwardly from the boss 2' are diametrically opposed pegs 21 and 28. The boss 28 has a bore 2! which is flared at its outer end as indicated by the numeral 30.

The roller 3i comprises the circular cross section body with the enlarged center portion and l the oppositely and uniformly tapering end portions having the squared terminals 32 which have recesses 83 for the pegs 21 and II and a centralimd opening or socket 84 receiving the boss ".10 that the inneriside of the disk 24 squarely engages the terminal of the roller as clearly shown in Figure 4, in which positions the gear wheels will be correctly positioned above and on the racks.

A screw having a flaring head 38 seated in the flaring portion SI of the opening II, traverses the opening '2! and enters thematerial of they roller to hold the respective gear wheel properly assembled to the roller and fastened thereto for rotation therewith under the severe conditions of service which the roller undergoes.

It is obvious that with the gear wheels located within the recesses it in the manner shown in Figure 4, the roller is permitted substantial movement only in a horisontal plane or along the racks. within the end-limits established by the ends of the teeth 22 of the racks, and that the roller cannot be separated from the balance of the structure without-removing one of the standards. It is also obvious that the gear wheels and racks may be kept lubricated and that the lubrication will not reach the foot of the user because of the position of the gear wheels and racks within their accommodating recesses. in such a way that no contact of the foot of the user with the gear wheel at any time is possible.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not'desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subioined claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A foot exercising device of the character described comprising a base. standards at the opposite ends of the base, a roller having its opposite ends conflned in recesses formed in said standards and arranged to be rolled back and forth across the base and the opposite ends of said roller having removable members inset therein and having exposed portions rolling on the floor of the recesses.

The recesses receive the gear wheels.

2. A foot exercising device of the character 25 described comprising a base, standards at the opposite endsrof the base, a roller having its opposite ends confined in recesses formed in said standards and arranged to be rolled back and forth within said recesses, said recesses including removable toothed racks on which the ends of the roller roll. the opposite ends of said roller having toothed wheels rolling on and meshed with said toothed racks.

3. A foot exercising device comprising a base, standards rising from opposite ends of the base. each standard being formed with horizontally elongated substantially oval opening means opening through its axially inward face. and a roller having its opposite ends projecting into and reliably confined in the respective opening means, said roller being arranged to be rolled back and forth to the limits provided by the concaved ends of said opening means.

4. A foot exercising device comprising a base, standards rising from opposite ends of the base, each standard being formed with opening means opening through its axially inward face, the opposite lateral ends of said opening means being concaved. and a roller having its opposite ends projecting into and rollably confined in the respective opening means, said roller being arranged to be rolled back and forth to the limits provided by the concaved ends of the opening means, and plates closing the axially outward I ends of said opening means for restricting axial movement of said roller.

FREDERICK W. LANG. 

